1. The right to begin
I start writing by staring at my paper or computer. Sometimes for 5 minutes, sometimes for 35 minutes. My friend Emma just starts writing. She’ll edit later. My friend John brainstorms and outlines everything. Then he writes and alters the outline as necessary. No one thing works for everybody, we shouldn’t pretend that it does. We’ll learn several methods for getting started. Do what works for you. 2. The right to write not good
It is not a failure to write less than a masterpiece. Sometimes we have to write just to get a thought out; there’s always editing. Professionals write bad stuff before they make it good. Your teachers certainly do. We expect you to. 3. The right to let go
Everything you write does not have to become something bigger and better. It is O.K. to decide that you don’t like a piece of writing and to never come back to it again. Maybe you don’t like the topic, perhaps the writing isn’t very good and you don’t think it’s worth the effort to fix this particular piece (see right #2). If your teachers kept and re-wrote everything we’ve written in the past 2 years, we wouldn’t fit in this classroom with it. 4. The right to ask for help
Ask your teachers, ask your peers, ask your parents. Ms. Shedd and Ms. Martin will always answer your questions, help you find words, help you revise, help you cite. No question you ask is a dumb one. 5. The right to be taken seriously
This is pretty simple. Every topic deserves respect and every genre deserves respect. You deserve respect. Write what you want, how you want. Be funny, serious, sarcastic, lyrical, satirical, familiar, flippant, subversive, pessimistic, optimistic. Use pictures, poetry, big words, lots of commas, small words, fun words. Write about your dog, the war, flip-flops. Every topic deserves respect and every genre deserves respect. You deserve respect.
For all things writing (and citing!) check out the Owl at Purdue
Using the same word too often? Use a thesaurus to find alternatives (synonyms)!
Use a dictionary to find out just what that word means (or how to spell it).
Writers’ Rights
1. The right to beginI start writing by staring at my paper or computer. Sometimes for 5 minutes, sometimes for 35 minutes. My friend Emma just starts writing. She’ll edit later. My friend John brainstorms and outlines everything. Then he writes and alters the outline as necessary. No one thing works for everybody, we shouldn’t pretend that it does. We’ll learn several methods for getting started. Do what works for you.
2. The right to write not good
It is not a failure to write less than a masterpiece. Sometimes we have to write just to get a thought out; there’s always editing. Professionals write bad stuff before they make it good. Your teachers certainly do. We expect you to.
3. The right to let go
Everything you write does not have to become something bigger and better. It is O.K. to decide that you don’t like a piece of writing and to never come back to it again. Maybe you don’t like the topic, perhaps the writing isn’t very good and you don’t think it’s worth the effort to fix this particular piece (see right #2). If your teachers kept and re-wrote everything we’ve written in the past 2 years, we wouldn’t fit in this classroom with it.
4. The right to ask for help
Ask your teachers, ask your peers, ask your parents. Ms. Shedd and Ms. Martin will always answer your questions, help you find words, help you revise, help you cite. No question you ask is a dumb one.
5. The right to be taken seriously
This is pretty simple. Every topic deserves respect and every genre deserves respect. You deserve respect. Write what you want, how you want. Be funny, serious, sarcastic, lyrical, satirical, familiar, flippant, subversive, pessimistic, optimistic. Use pictures, poetry, big words, lots of commas, small words, fun words. Write about your dog, the war, flip-flops. Every topic deserves respect and every genre deserves respect. You deserve respect.